CEA Professional Service Manual (Practice Guidelines)

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the key regulations, statutory definitions, ethical duties, and procedural standards set out in the Council for Estate Agencies (CEA) Professional Service Manual.

Council for Estate Agencies (CEA)

The statutory body that issues the Professional Service Manual (PSM) and Practice Guidelines to regulate estate agents and salespersons under the Estate Agents Act (Cap. 95A).

Code of Ethics and Professional Client Care (CEPCC)

The professional code setting out the duties and standards of conduct for estate agents and salespersons, including acting with due diligence, care, and avoiding conflicts of interest.

Client (CEPCC Definition)

Any individual or entity who engages an estate agent or salesperson to perform estate agency work, which expressly includes prospective clients or customers.

Dual Representation

An offence under Regulation 5 of the Estate Agents (Estate Agency Work) Regulations 2010 where a salesperson represents both parties (e.g., buyer and seller, or landlord and tenant) in the same property transaction.

Co-broking

An arrangement where two or more estate agents or salespersons cooperate on the same property transaction to achieve the best outcome for their respective clients.

Overriding Fee

A fee or portion of commission collected by a supervisor or team leader from a subordinate salesperson's earnings, which must be declared in writing to the client if both parties are served within the same agency.

Power of Attorney (POA) Restriction

The rule prohibiting salespersons from acting as an attorney under a Power of Attorney for clients whom they are concurrently representing in a property transaction.

Civil Law Act (Cap. 43) Contractual Age Provision

The legal statute lowering the general contractual capacity age to 18, while retaining the requirement of 21 years of age for contracts involving land sale, purchase, mortgage, settlement, or leases exceeding 3 years.

Mandatory Due Diligence Checks under Immigration Act (Cap. 133)

The three compulsory verification steps for foreign tenants: inspecting original passes for forgery, cross-checking pass particulars with original passports and the person, and validating passes online via the ICA or MOM websites.

Penalties under the Immigration Act (Cap. 133)

A mandatory imprisonment term of 6 to 24 months and a fine not exceeding 6,000 Singapore dollars imposed on salespersons who fail to conduct the required due diligence checks on foreign tenants.

Suspicious Transaction Report (STR)

A mandatory report lodged under Section 39(1) of the CDSA (Cap. 65A) when a person knows or suspects that a property transaction is connected to criminal activity or drug trafficking.

Integrated Land Information Service (INLIS)

The Singapore Land Authority's online portal used by salespersons to conduct title searches to verify the legal ownership and basic details of a property.

Prescribed Estate Agency Agreements

Standardized agreement forms (Forms 1 to 4 for non-exclusive transactions and Forms 5 to 8 for exclusive transactions) issued by CEA to formalize client-agent relationships.

Exclusive Estate Agency Agreement Validity Period

The statutory duration limit for an exclusive estate agency agreement, capped at a maximum of 3 months with the option for renewal upon expiry.

Marketing Plan

A required document provided to a client under an exclusive agreement specifying the planned marketing approach, advertisement volume and types, and regular reporting intervals.

Same Team Deeming Criteria

The conditions under which salespersons are legally deemed to be in the same team, such as sharing commission or overriders, familial relationships, joint property marketing, or belonging to the same internal agency division.

Vulnerable Clients

Clients who require special care and considerate treatment due to physical, mental, or emotional impairment, illiteracy, severe financial distress, or absence of family support.

Prohibition of Inducements

The ethical rule prohibiting estate agents and salespersons from offering cash, gifts, or vouchers to entice clients to engage their services, distinct from lawful negotiation to reduce commission rates.

Appraisers Act (Cap. 16) Licensed Valuer

A professional licensed by IRAS to provide formal market valuations, distinguished from informal bank quotations or desktop assessments supplied by salespersons.

Restricted Residential Property

Under the Residential Property Act (Cap. 274), properties such as vacant residential land and landed homes that non-citizens cannot purchase without prior written approval from the Controller of Residential Property.

Section 45D of the Income Tax Act (Cap. 134)

A statutory tax provision obligating a purchaser to withhold tax when buying property from a non-resident property trader whose profits are taxable under Section 10(1)(a).

HDB Resale Checklist Cooling-off Period

The mandatory 7-day waiting period that flat sellers must observe after their salesperson completes and submits the resale checklist before granting an Option to Purchase (OTP).

Authorisation Letter (for Developer Cheques)

A written agreement identifying the buyer, salesperson, and specific unit details, establishing the strict conditions under which an agent may hold and submit a buyer's cheque to a developer.

Material Facts

Critical property information affecting value or livability that must be verified and disclosed in writing, such as approved use, tenure, structural defects, unnatural deaths, loan shark harassment, and bankruptcy proceedings.

Land Titles (Strata) Act (Cap. 158) (LTSA)

The statute regulating en bloc collective sales, which forbids marketing agents from harassing owners or withholding mandatory statutory information such as owner consent percentages.

One-Year Record Retention Requirement

The regulatory rule requiring salespersons to preserve written records and copies of all received offers, expressions of interest, and transaction documents for at least 1 year.

Prohibition on Handling Transaction Money

A statutory restriction under the Estate Agents Act (Cap. 95A) barring salespersons from holding or handling transaction moneys for the sale or purchase of Singapore properties or the lease of HDB properties.

Property Inventory List

A schedule signed by both parties documenting the exact fixtures and physical condition of a premises prior to handover, serving to protect security deposits and clarify handover disputes.